


I'm the King (choose me)

by Tagide



Series: NCT: College The Series [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking Games, Fraternities & Sororities, JohnTen renaissance, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Making Out, Oblivious Pining, based on the lyrics of The King, frat party, its just mentioned, minor Kun/Lucas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:13:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27703283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tagide/pseuds/Tagide
Summary: "And you can't explain why I'm always running your mindDon't you see the answer's right in front of your eyes?You like me, oh, obviouslySo why you trying to leave when you know that I'm the king?"Conan Gray, The King-Johnny has been pining after Ten for more than a year, he just hasn't realized it yet. Ten is tired of his one-sided efforts he just wants Johnny to choose him, after all he's the king.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Qian Kun/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Series: NCT: College The Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026106
Comments: 6
Kudos: 80





	I'm the King (choose me)

**Author's Note:**

> This was based on the song [The King](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqlV7oQhVmw) by Conan Gray, i reccomend you listen to it or at least read the lyrics before continuing! Anyways I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> /The editing is very weird ill try to reedit when i have a pc available! /

Ten watches as Johnny tries to flirt with another pretty, cat-eyed girl. The party is roaring around them but even though Ten could be as engrossed as Lucas and Yangyang are in the beer pong game, he chose his favorite pastime: Watching Johnny try to fulfill the hole in his heart, unsuccessfully. 

  


At first it was endearing, how Johnny actually thought he was straight, despite drooling everytime Ten wore anything remotely feminine – emphasis on remotely. Then it became annoying. Ten knew for sure Johnny was head over heels in love with him and he liked the other boy back, but Johnny was too oblivious about his own feelings, preferring to date girls he'd never even kiss and who lasted weeks — quickly realizing the boy they were dating was in love with someone else. Then Johnny gave in to his bisexuality and started dating both boys and girls. That's when it became very frustrating. A plethora of people had gone to Johnny's frat house room and yet, poor old dense and oblivious Johnny didn't understand why no one seemed to be the one. How it never clicked, how it never worked. "Why do they always imply that I like someone else?" Ten had heard Johnny complain to Taeyong once.

All their friends knew about Johnny's very evident feelings for Ten. And Ten was open and conscious of his own, so all their mutual friends knew about it as well.

Heck, Ten thought he was obvious as hell. He'd snap Johnny selfies, some innocent and some not-so-innocent. He would always flirt with Johnny. But the other just laughed it off and continued to pursue satisfaction he'd never find outside of Ten.

Why? Cause Ten was supreme, he was Johnny's king. If only he chose him.

  


Ten took the final swig of his red solo cup dropping it into a trash bin as he started walking towards where Johnny was searching for another distraction – the first one having gotten bored and left.

Ten reached the taller one in no time. He tapped on the other's shoulder, prompting Johnny to turn around. As soon as the blonde's eyes set on Ten a huge smile sprouted on his lips.

  


“Tenny! I was just thinking about you!”, Johnny said with a loud voice and accompanied by an even grander spread of arms.

  


“Oh, is that a regular occurrence?” Ten asked, cat eyes looking at the other through his lashes, biting his lip for good measure.

It felt good to see Johnny crumble sometimes, and crumble he did. 

Johnny dropped his arms in a floppy motion, and his smile disappeared, the alcohol in his veins slowing every movement by half a second. 

  


It took Johnny almost a minute to reboot and he let out a laugh, albeit a bit awkward,and said, “Friends think about each other all the time,right?”

  


“Well if you think more about one friend, maybe he's more than a friend, ” Ten retorted, mischievously coy. 

  


“We- well yeah,” Johnny spluttered, then laughed some more fake laughs, and added “You're funny, Ten. It's why you're my favorite friend.” The tall blond boy started searching the party for some escape, he quicly found an excuse in Jaehyun's traveling form. "Oh, Jaehyun!" Johnny shouted, "I was looking for Jaehyun, see you around, shorty!"

With that final phrase he stalked off after Jaehyun, getting swallowed by the sea of people dancing amd drinking. 

  


Ten sighed, it always ended the same way, Johnny panicked then left Ten. 

He wasn't going to lie, it was exhausting. Funny but exhausting. Ten looked around for something to do, his eyes falling on Kun who was sitting on a sofa and on his phone, momentarily escaping the party. Ten sproached the spot and excused himself before plopping down besides his best friend.

  


“I don't think anything is going to work except outright telling him you're both in love with each other,” Kun said monotonously, not bothering to lift his eyes from the tiny screen in his hands. 

  


“Ugh, I'm starting to think so too, how can he be so dense!” Ten dramatically flailed his arms as he sunk further into the couch's cushions. “I literally told him I was more than a friend to him and he laughed it off? Ho–”

  


“How literal were you? ” interrupted Kun.

  


“You mean how did I say it? ” Kun nodded. “Well he was telling me how he was thinking about me and i said that when you think too much about one friend it's because he is more than a friend, and fuck, he said I was funny.” Ten deadpanned, “He fucking said I was fucking funny!” Kun had the audacity to laugh to which Ten responded, “Oh you're laughing too huh? Next time you wanna complain about your big dumb puppy boy, don't come looking for me!” Ten crossed his arms while pouting and turned his head away from his friend. 

Kun stopped laughing, not completely but the best he could, and said,

  


“Aw I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you though, I'm laughing at Johnny's stupidity. God he's really dense, I wonder how his grades are so high.”

  


“Booksmart doesn't mean heart smart, ” Ten added, less displeased after the apology, but still maintaining an upset demeanor.

  


“Did you just make that up?”

  


“Yeah, it was good wasn't it? ” Ten asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

  


“Not too bad I guess,” Kun conceded. “But yeah I guess he really isn't heart smart.” He adjusted his seating position turning his body towards Ten. “Do you have any plan?”

  


“No?”

  


“So outright telling him your feelings isn't a solid plan?”

  


“No! I want him to choose me, not the other way around, I want him to hit realization without me telling him, that's not funny at all. Just cause your relationship is boring doesn't mean mine has to be!" Ten stomped his feet into the carpet, like a brat. 

  


Kun looked at him like an unimpressed parent faced with an unwitty remark from their child. 

  


“That was low, my relationship is very much not boring, jealousy doesn't suit you, Ten.” Kun turned back to face his phone. Ignoring Ten for the moment. 

  


Ten quickly hugged his best friend as best as he could on the quicksand leather couch, yelling, “Sorry, Kunkun, I didn't mean that, I'm angry and i was taking it out on you! You and Lucas make a very special couple! Please forgive me!”

  


“Fine! Just stop smothering me!” Kun breathed out through Ten's suffocating hug. 

  


“Shut up, you love it!” Ten said as he let go of the other boy, who was still catching his breath. 

  


“I really don't,” Kun sighed.

  


They both stayed for a moment silently enjoying each other's presence amidst the chaos that was a frat house party. Kun pointed with his chin at the beer pong game. Lucas and Yangyang were still playing, having drunk more than two gallons of beer, although their accuracy unwavered. They both watched attentively as a girl approached Lucas', now resting, form. Ten sneaked a glance at Kun noticing the easy smile on his face. Damn, trust was really something he could learn from his friend. 

The girl put her hand on Lucas' bicep and leaned in to say something to him. Swiftly and politely Lucas rejected her advances and removed the unwanted hand from his arm. 

  


“This happens everytime. I find it very endearing, ” Kun supplied.

  


“What? Having someone flirt with your man? ” asked Ten, eyebrow raised. 

  


Kun chuckled, “Of course not, what comes next, look” He gestured at the scene about to unfold by the misused ping-pong table. 

  


The girl said something else that granted her a displeased reaction from Lucas, frown settling on his easy-going features. He spat something at her, probably not as polite as before. The girl swept her hair with a rude gesture and left, looking very upset about the outcome of the interaction. Ten glanced at Kun's face wondering if this was what he found endearing, judging by the frown etched on his best friend's face, probably not. Looking back at Lucas, Ten quickly noticed the other's mood had significantly dropped. He was telling Mark something, probably explaining whatever happened with the girl, eyebrows deeply scrunched. After sulking for a few seconds Lucas excused himself from the beer-pong match, much to Yangyang's very obvious dismay. He looked around the rooms for a bit before settling on the both of them. Ten and Kun had been silently watching the whole thing unravel without making any comment, Ten was kind of expecting Kun to explain why it was endearing sometime in the next minutes, although Lucas' now approaching form made Ten push the explanation a couple of minutes later. 

Lucas reached their sofa and with a grumpy pout made grabby hands at Kun. Ten had always thought the relatively recent couple's dynamic was a little cringy, but he loved to see his best friend happy, and happy he was, so Ten refrained from even commenting on it. 

Kun smiled sweetly and made space for Lucas' gigantic body to fit on top of his. Somehow they fit together, Kun hugging Lucas from behind while the other settled between his legs, arms on top of Kun's. 

  


“Xuxi, are you gonna tell us what happened?” Kun asked softly but still loud enough for Ten to be part of the conversation, even with the loud bass booming through the room. 

  


“You guys saw that?” the taller boy asked. 

  


“Yeah,” Ten said. 

  


“Well, so this girl comes up to me right?” Lucas starts, hand gestures accompanying his every word, “then she whispers something along the lines of ‘you're so handsome, and your accuracy is amazing, any other targets you wanna hit tonight?’” Ten couldn't hold back a cackle at the crude pick up line, which earned him two unimpressed looks from his friends. 

  


“Sorry, sorry, please continue, ” he excused himself prompting Lucas to finish his storytelling. 

  


“Ok, so I answer politely that i don't need to hit any targets 'cause I already have a boyfriend,” Lucas continues, eyes widening as he reaches the peak of the story, “And she says if your boyfriend doesn't like to show you around you should probably find another. Can you believe this shit?” He looked at Ten and Kun searching for similar scandal in their features, and was pleased to find it in both. 

  


“The lion, the witch and the audacity of that bitch!” Ten said indignantly, which caused a rumbling laughter out of Lucas. 

  


“You're funny Ten, this is why you're my friend!” Lucas said, his face now just a big smile, good mood making a comeback. 

  


“Ugh not again” Ten complained, sinking back into the couch. 

  


Upon Lucas' quizzical expression Kun explained that Johnny used a very similar phrasing to reject yet another attempt of Ten. 

  


“Sorry, ” Lucas apologized. 

  


“Don't worry about it, back to the story, ” Ten dismissed him and patted the younger's knee in mock consolation.

  


“Yeah I'm curious about what you answered, ” Kun said, his head on top of his boyfriend's shoulder, right beside Lucas' cheeks almost squished together. 

  


“Well I answered that it was none of her fucking business. Mark was about to step in but i turned my back on her after that. I mean who does she think she is insulting my boyfriend like that,” Lucas raised a hand to cup Kun's cheek. 

  


“Hmm, thanks for defending my honor, Xuxi” Kun said smiling, Lucas gave him a kiss on his temple.

  


Ten liked seeing his friend happy but he didn't need to witness all of it. He unlocked his phone and checked for any distractions as the two lovebirds started a whispered conversation. 

  


Too engrossed in his phone, Ten startled when Lucas spoke too loudly, “Ten, there's a certain someone staring very wistfully at you. ” he jutted his chin in the general direction of the man in question. 

Ten followed the direction meeting Johnny's eyes. The thai winked and earned a pretty blush creeping up the blonde's neck as he forced a smile and turned his eyes away. 

  


Kun interrupted, “I really think you should just confront him and get it over with. It can't be that hard, you already know he's head over heels in love with you. He looks at you like your his lifeline!” He gestured vaguely in Johnny's direction. 

  


“Well, yeah... But still it's complicated!” Ten defended himself. 

  


“It really isn't, Ten. In fact... ” Lucas disentangled Kun's arms from around his body and stood up, “I'll be right back!” he threw over his shoulder and made his way across the room into the kitchen, Ten thought he might have an idea of what was coming. 

  


“I just don't want to be the one saying it. I want it to be a realization and then Johnny comes to me and says ‘Ten I've always loved you, I'm sorry it took me so long’,” he mimicked Johnny's demeanor and deeper voice. “And then I answer ‘I know’, then BAM! We're boyfriends!” he finished with a flourish, a pout settling quickly after the show died down.

Kun just stared back at him, unimpressed with the drama and romance Ten wanted – craved – from his crush. 

  


“Ten,” he started, the parental tone bordering on condescending making its monthly appearance in his voice, “Sometimes life doesn't happen like it does in novels or movies, most of the times we need to reach out and fight for the finale we want. You just have to give up that fantasy and make your own. Johnny isn't going to hit realization any time soon, he hasn't for over a year—”

  


“It could be any minute now!” Ten interrupted. 

Kun rolled his eyes. 

  


“Seriously, I want to see you happy, and waiting on Johnny isn't making you happy! So you need to go get your man!”

  


“Wow, I'm touched Kun, ” Ten said, mimicking wiping a tear off the corner of his eye. “And how do you suggest I do that?”

  


“That is up to yourself.”

  


As Kun finished his last piece of advice Lucas had come back from his mission. Now holding two red solo cups, he handed one to Ten, who was expecting it. 

  


“Here, drink up and go get your man!” He said in english, causing Kun to laugh at the same use of words as he had before. 

  


“You really are made for each other,” Ten spat before downing the whole cup of whiskey-cola in one go. He was met with two pairs of wide eyes, “What, you thought I was gonna sip it?”

  


“It's just carbonated, I could never do that! ” Lucas said, a mixture of suprise and awe gracing his features. 

  


“Well, you go smack some sense into Johnny's head and me and Xuxi are gonna prove that girl wrong and make-out on the dance floor.” Kun stood up hands naturally settling on his boyfriend's hips as he pushed them further into the room. Lucas' had an amazed expression, reminding Ten of a child whose parent had just offered them anything they wanted from the toy shop. They both sauntered off into the other room, slowly getting swallowed by the sea of college students. 

Ten spied around the room to locate the subject of his affections, spotting him quickly. They were right when they said you can always spot the one you love in a crowd. 

He stood up, the little alcohol Lucas had poured into the coke, loosening the knots trying to form in Ten's belly. ‘You can do this, dude basically drools whenever you talk to him’ Ten thought, trying to pep-talk himself into action. He started moving towards where Johnny was seating, talking to some of his friends. 

  


“Ten! ” Taeyong, one of their mutual friends called out when he spotted the thai's approaching form. “Come sit with us” Taeyong patted to a couch spot right next to him. 

  


“Sorry, I'm just here to get Johnny, ” Ten declined and turning towards Johnny said, “I need to speak to you alone, come with?” He couldn't fight off the bubblier tone that he usually had when speaking to Johnny, damn his crush. 

  


“Oh, uh... Ye– Yeah sure, no problem. ” Johnny stood up quickly, not having expected Ten to ask for him. 

  


As soon as Johnny was in front of Ten the latter grabbed his wrists and pulled him away, leaving knowing smirks on some of their friends' faces. 

They made their way through heaps of people, climbing the stairs that lead to the fraternity bedrooms, Ten knew which room was Johnny's so he stopped in front of it. Johnny's eyes were wide as saucers, frozen as if Medusa had looked him dead in the eye. 

  


“The key John, it's locked,” Ten said gesturing for the blonde to hand him the room key. 

Still quite out of it, Johnny fished the key out of his pocket and dropped it into the smaller's open hand. Ten nimbly unlocked the door swinging it open and pulling Johnny inside. He closed and locked the door, mostly for drama and because watching Johnny's very confused face was amusing Ten immensely. Call it a little vendetta for the year of pining. 

  


“Well, Johnny, you're probably wondering what I have to say to you... ” he trailed hoping for some confirmation on Johnny's part, upon receiving nothing but a slightly ajar mouth and a confused look on the other's face he proceeded, “I've been thinking about getting a boyfriend.”

  


“For you? ” asked Johnny dumbly. 

  


“Yes for me.” 

  


“Oh... Okay I- I guess you could... ”

  


“... ” Ten waited... Nothing “Is that it?”

  


“Uh– I'm– I don't know what to say? Am I

supposed to say something else? ”

  


“Really, you're not gonna get angry? ”Ten was feeling a little more exasperated with every syllable that left the taller's mouth. 

  


“What? Why am I supposed to get angry? I–” 

  


“Cause you like me! Obviously. ” Ten said, crossing his arms defiantly. 

Johnny's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of the water. Shock apparent in his eyes. Ten examined Johnny's figure, trying to get a clue if he had broken Johnny or not. 

After almost a minute, Johnny's eyebrows slowly raised as realization dawned on him, very slowly. 

  


“Oh, that's what they meant... When... ” he mumbled looking Ten straight in the eyes. A stupid goofy grin appeared on the blonde's lips and he said, “Fuck, that's such a relief!”

  


Confused, Ten asked, “What? What are you talking about?”

  


“I thought I was broken or something, how no one seemed to be good enough to be my lover, and all along the answer was right in front of my eyes!”

  


“Oh, ” Ten said eloquently, finally understanding the implications of Johnny's conclusions. A smile escaped him, happiness seeping through his being. “That was way easier than I thought.”

  


“Still, it took me long enough, damn, Ten, why didn't you say something sooner? ” Johnny said stepping closer to Ten. 

Ten's smile fell. 

  


“What do you mean? I flirted with you everyday, you just dismissed it as jokes! ” He said, holding Johnny at bay. 

  


Johnny's hands touched his elbows as he held Ten's arms. He nade an apologetic expression. 

“Sorry for being dumb?" Johnny said then his eyes widened again, eyebrows shooting to the sky. “Wait! You mean you like me too???” 

  


“Holy fuck, Johnny, you're really dense. Of course I do!” Ten flailed his arms in Johnny's grasp, the other not letting go. 

  


“But you were talking about getting a boyfriend? ” Johnny asked still confused. 

  


“That was just to get you to realize you liked me, and because I AM getting a boyfriend. ”

  


“Who?” Johnny inquired, once again surprising Ten with how dense one could be. 

  


“You! You frat himbo! ” Ten took advantage of their position to pulk Johnny closer, relishing in their height difference. 

  


“Oh, oh” The goofy smile made its way back to the blonde's face. He let go of Ten's elbows in favor of holding his head, both thambs cupping the smaller one's chiseled face. “God I really am dumb, sorry. ”

  


“I'll forgive you, IF you change my status. ” Ten put his hands on the other boy's hips. Looking at Johnny through his lashes. 

  


Johnny chuckled and closed the distance between them. 

Their kiss was more than climatic, it started chaste but the thrill of finally getting a taste of each other pushing them onwards. The kiss grew heated quickly, open mouths taking what they could. Ten relished in the love he felt from Johnny's hungry but loving kisses, letting the blonde set the pace. 

Tasting Johnny felt like getting the Olympic gold medal for the marathon, at least Ten was exhausted enough for that. The taller's hands started descending from Ten's face, to his neck, one going lower through his chest to setlle on his waist. 

“Fuck, ” Johnny mumbled between kisses, he backed a bit enough for Ten to reopen his eyes and satre back into the other's. “I've always thought your waist was magnificent, I can't imagine why it never occurred to me that it was more than friendly admiration,” he finished already diving in for another kiss, like a starving man. Ten felt Johnny pull him towards the bed and went easily, falling on the mattress with a soft ‘huff’. Johnny settled on top of him swiftly, resuming their previous activities as soon as the position allowed. 

  


  


××××××××××××××××××

  


  


Ten grabbed his phone from the bedside table to turn off his alarm. 7AM, Ten mentally cursed his past-self for not remembering to turn it off before dozing on Johnny's chest. Thinking about last night makes his heart flutter. Ten looks at the sleeping form beside him, rustling slightly due to the loss of warmth. A big arm snakes around his middle and pulls Ten back into the sheets. 

“Five more minutes,” Johnny mumbles into the skin of the thai's neck. 

“I wasn't going to leave,” Ten said chuckling and snuggling back into the other. 

Last night had ended with both of them choosing to sleep in favor of making out through the night. (“We have all the time now, there's no hurries,” Ten reminded an eager Johnny, cautious about moving too fast in the heat of the moment.) So now they were both cuddling, Johnny knocked out as soon as he finished begging for more time. Ten sighed happily, finally. 

  


  


  


“Finally! It took you long enough! ” Taeyong congratulated as the new couple descended the frat house stairs. 

  


“I thought Ten was gonna die of blue balls some time soon,” Yuta quipped happily. Ten flipped him off.

He had forgotten momentarily that Johnny was part of a fraternity and that meant being greeted by seven college boys, who were also very tired of Johnny's obliviousness. 

  


“Congrats, man!” Mark high-fived Johnny genuinely happy about the whole ordeal. 

Ten thought ‘congratulations’ wasn't the best greeting right now, but didn't mention anything. 

They both sat down at the breakfast table. The diversity of cereal boxes very much pleased Ten, living alone made it hard to manage such a variety of breakfast foods to choose from. 

He pulled his phone up while the other boys shared anecdotes from last nights party and teased Johnny for his density. There were two messages from Kun. 

The first one read: ‘Good luck! 🍀’ and the second one, sent at 3AM: ‘I'm happy for you, also thanks for not coming back with us ;-)’

Ten rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. There were very few things that could change his good mood today. 

He felt a big hand rest on his thigh, he quickly answered Kun's text: ‘Thanx im happy too!!’. 

He settled his phone aside and focused on the owner of said hand. Johnny was still talking animatedly and laughing. Ten put his own hand on top of the other's lacing their fingers and squeezing lightly. Johnny looked at him and leaned to kiss his cheek. 

The table erupted with catcalls wolf whistles and loud gagging (courtesy of Donghyuck), but then again nothing could sway Ten's happiness right now. 

  


  


  


  


  


  


  


**Author's Note:**

> This was created in celebration of the JohnTen renassaince and was terribly self-indulgent.  
> Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> P.S: You can find me on twt [@haruwuharu](https://twitter.com/haruwuharu)


End file.
